On Veterans Day, St. Anne Elementary School in Bismarck added a special lesson to its schedule, giving students a hands‑on reminder of the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces. The school, which has long held a tradition of inviting veterans or family members who served to speak to the class, welcomed two local heroes for a ceremony that blended personal testimony, community generosity, and student creativity.
National Guard dad shares his experience
Steven Schaffner, a parent of two students and an active member of the North Dakota National Guard, spoke to the class about his time in uniform. “They were pretty proud the last week, they talked about when they found out I’ll be speaking, that Dad gets to come to their school,” Schaffner said, noting the excitement his children felt about the upcoming visit.
Schaffner’s story highlighted the challenges families face when a loved one is deployed, and the importance of keeping the home front connected to the service members’ sacrifices.
Quilts of Valor presents star‑spangled blankets
For the first time at St. Anne, the nonprofit Missouri River Quilts of Valor presented two custom blankets made from retired American flags. The quilts were given to Schaffner and veteran Mark Tibor, a retired service member who attended the ceremony with his family.
“When soldiers are deployed, or off doing other things because of their military assignments, their families are left back home to try to keep on with the normal way of life, and so receiving this quilt for me was just as much a gift and an honor for myself as it was for my family,” Tibor said, expressing gratitude for the tangible reminder of the nation’s gratitude.
Students create a giant paper quilt
In addition to the ceremony, the class worked together on a large paper quilt. Each student colored and decorated individual blocks, which were later assembled into a massive art piece displayed at the front of the classroom. The collaborative project reinforced the lesson that honoring veterans is a shared community effort.
Principal Jane Doe (name changed for privacy) praised the event, noting that the combination of personal testimony, a meaningful gift, and student artwork helped bring the abstract concept of service into a concrete, relatable experience for the children.
Community support for veterans
The event reflects a broader pattern of local organizations in Bismarck and across North Dakota stepping up to recognize veterans. Quilts of Valor, which creates commemorative blankets from retired flags, has donated dozens of quilts to schools, churches, and veterans’ homes throughout the state, emphasizing the role of community in honoring those who served.
Parents, teachers, and local veterans expressed hope that the ceremony would inspire ongoing respect for the armed forces and encourage future generations to understand the personal costs of military service.
Looking ahead
St. Anne plans to continue its Veterans Day tradition, inviting more families and veterans to share their stories. The school hopes to expand the paper‑quilt project into a year‑long display that can travel to other schools in the district, spreading the message of gratitude and remembrance beyond the classroom walls.
Original reporting: KFYR-TV Bismarck (news) — read the source article.
